16« 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



June, 1916. 



British Columbia's Fruit Growers Helped' 



K. C. Abbott, Coast Markets Commissioner, Victoria, B.C. 



DURING the season of 1915 my time wa» 

 spent principally looking into the 

 marketing conditions in the Pacific 

 coast cities with the view of ascertaining 

 the real reason why the markets in the past 

 had made such poor returns to the grower. 

 I endeavored to find if the prices paid 

 toy the consumers were in keeping with the 

 returns sent to the grower. In assisting 

 whenever and wherever possible in the quick 

 movement of perishable farm produce sent 

 in on consignment, in using my efforts 

 where possible to protect the consignor 

 against any advantage that might be taken 

 of him ty the unnecessary slaughteriag of 

 his consignment, and in urging upon the 

 commission houses the necessity of making 

 "quick returns" to the growers. Much time 

 was spent in enoouraging the trade and the 

 public to buy home-grown frudt and produce 

 in preference to that brought in from other 

 countries during the season in which our 

 fruits and produce were 'being marketed. 



Our fruit and vegetable markets are con- 

 tinually being demoralized and kept in an 

 unsteady condition by growers shipping 

 their fruits and produce in on consignment 

 irrespective of the condition of the market. 

 Not only do they ship without previous no- 

 tice to the commission houses but In many 

 Instances they continue to ship large quan- 

 tities of perishable fruit even -when request- 

 ed by the commission house to stop. The 

 outcome Is, that the commission house has 

 to get out from under this stuff, and in or- 

 der to do so ibreaks the market. The loss 

 falls not only on the offending shippers, but 

 on many other shippers Tvho are trying to 

 solve the question of proper distribution 

 and 'better markets. While we deplore this 

 practice and have a thorough knowledge of 

 the disastrous results caused by It, It will 

 not be entirely overcome, as long as we 

 have independent shippers, who from their 

 end are unable to keep in daily touch with 

 market conditions. 



Shipping Direjct to 'Retailers. 



In a large city like Vancouver, which Is 

 the central marketing point for local fruit* 

 and produce, direct shipment to retailers on 

 the consignment plan Is detrimental to the 

 ibest interests of the producers. Direct ship- 

 ping to retailers at a set market price should 

 not 'Tiurt" our markets, 'but consigning to 

 "cut-rate" retailers has 'brought little profit 

 to the shipper and ruinous results to our 

 markets. 



It Is impossible for any grower living at a 

 distance to measure the selling capacity of 

 a retail store, and invariably we find the re- 

 tailer being over-loaded, who in turn either 

 slumps this perishable produce off at ridi- 

 culously low prices or after holding it in 

 his store until it is almost rotten, sends it 

 to the commission houses to sell. 

 Patriotism and Ecorvomy. 



Many appeals have heen made to the con- 

 suming puhlic of late to be more patriotic 

 in their purchasing and the response has 

 been greater than was anticipated. These 

 have been strenuous times in the cities and 

 many consumers have 'been forced to the 

 point of placing "pocketism" ahead of pat- 

 riotism, and these must not be judged too 

 harshly, for many a man who in good times 

 would give preference to home-products ir- 

 respective of price, has now to consider 

 price first and price only. 



Regular weekly market reports were is- 

 sued from Vancouver from April lOth to De- 

 cember 31st. These reports were issued 

 and mailed each 'Saturday night so as to 'be 

 in the hands of the farmers iMonday morn- 

 ing if possible. In making up these reports 

 care was taken to have them give the true 

 conditions of the markets and also to give 

 the farmer an accurate list of market quota- 

 tions. 



In addition to the regular weekly reports 

 private and individual reports were given 

 out whenever requested. 



Advertisirvg. 



Publicity work along with my other work 

 became a necessary feature and although 

 not carried on as extensively as I would 

 have liked to have done, yet the results ob- 

 tained proved to be of excellent value to 

 our producers. The city press was made 

 use of whenever the opportunity occurred. 

 Good results were obtained from interviews 

 and news Items given to the public, ac- 

 quainting them with crop conditions and the 

 available supply of the various commodities. 

 We find the consuming public hungry for 

 such information. Reliable information 

 given out regularly to the public along these 

 lines brings remarkable results. The news- 

 papers in the cities have supported us most 

 admirably and given us free advertising, 

 which we appreciate very much. 



During our strawberry campaign our 

 newspaper boosting was' given free, and 

 occasion was taken to place before the pub- 

 lic information whereby they could gain 

 siome knowledge of the extent of our berry 

 industry. The wholesale trade worked in 

 conjunction with your markets commis- 

 sioner, and on his suggestion carried, for 

 three weeks, canvas banners on their de- 

 livery trucks bearing the words: 

 BUY 

 BlC. Grown 

 IS traw berries, 

 Preserving Dates 

 June 1st to 14th. 



Previous to our strawberry season and 

 just when the heavy imports were likely to 

 come in, 500 display cards were distributed 



to the retail grocers in the cities. This 

 gave me an excellent opporiunity to con- 

 verse with these people and to place before 

 them the facts In regard to the fruit grow- 

 ing industry of British Columbia, and to 

 make an appeal to each of them to assist 

 in promoting the sale of our products by 

 buying only those grown In British Colum- 

 bia. 



These display cards covered both straw- 

 berries and raspberries, and appealed to 

 the people to supiwrt "Grown In B. C. 

 Berries," and thus keep at home some 

 ?8o,000, which had been spent in. 1914 In im- 

 ported berries alone. 



'^est time to buy B. C. Fruit" cards were 

 also distributed through the retail stores. 



A "British Columbia Fruit Booklet," con- 

 taining some 225 recipes, besides other 

 valuable information, proved oae ot our 

 best, if not the best medium for advertising 

 the merits of our fruits. Five thousand, 

 seven hundred of these were distributed 

 through this office. Of this number over 

 four thousand were given out Individually 

 to consumers. 



This little booklet might be termed the 

 growers "Silent Salesman" and it has been 

 the means of materially Increasing the con- 

 sumption of our fruits. 



Those who put up their fruit without sugar 

 met with good success, and large quantities 

 will be done this way this season. 



The consumption of tomatoes, just when 

 there was a likelihood of a break in th« 

 market, was greatly increased 'by press no- 

 tices and the issuing of circulars on the 

 "iHome Canning" of tomatoes. 



During the season for soft fruits "Fruit 

 Talks" were also given before the different 

 Women's Organizations in the city. 



After careful consideration had been 

 given to the matter of putting on an "Apple 

 Week" in the coast cities it was thought 

 advisaible to abandon this idea, and to di- 

 rect our efforts to obtaining a greater and 

 quicker movement of our apples by news- 

 paper advertising. 



This advertising was run in the four 

 dailies, and brought direct results which 

 were very encouraging. The advertising 

 kept prominently before the public the 

 great necessity for keeping their money In 

 circulation within our own province by pur- 

 chasing only "British Columbia produce." 



•Bxtrart from a report read at the recent an- 

 nual convention of the British Columbia Fruit 

 Growers' Association. 



Railways' Concessions to Fruit Growers 



G. E. Mcintosh, Transportation Secretary Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario, Forest, Ont." 



PRiBSiENT indications are that the fruit 

 crop in Ontario will be heavy, and we 

 therefore will require every possible 

 assistance from the railways in the market- 

 ing of it. The Transportation Department 

 of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association 

 has been active of late in procuring for the 

 growers throughout the province some local, 

 also general improvements. The following 

 information, therefore, may be of value: 



During the seasons of 1914 and 1915 the 

 shipper who loaded vegetables in a car with 

 fruit for points east of Port Arthur, had to 

 either pay the less carload rate on vege- 

 tables and the carload rate on the fruit, or 

 pay third class rate, minimum 20,000 pounds, 

 on the fruit and vegetables. Instances were 

 reported, however, where the privilege was 

 allowed, but not by authorized tariff, thus 

 making the shipper liable to prosecution. 

 Complaint was made to the Railway Com- 

 mission and referred to the Canadian Freight 

 Association. The complaint was favorably 

 considered, and the mixing of fruit and 



vegetables between stations in Ontario and 

 Quebec and to points in the Maritime Pro- 

 vinces to or from which through class rates 

 are published, is now authorized by a tariff 

 effective March 24th, the following rates 

 applying: 



Lots of less than 10,000 lbs., 1st class 

 rates. 



liots of 10,000 lbs. or over, 2nd class rates. 



Carloads, minimum 20,000 lbs., 4th class 

 rates. 



This service will be a decided advantage, 

 and should open markets for mixed orders. 

 False Floors. 



Under an order of the Board of Railway 

 Commissioners, the railways allow shippers 

 three dollars for the material used in put- 

 ting in a slatted floor in refrigerator cars 

 not so equipped. This order is now amend- 

 ed by adding thereto a further allowance 

 of 5O0 pounds from the weight of such cars. 

 During the present season shippers are re- 

 quested to keep a record of all cars floored, 

 including those for which the authorized 



